This 14-Year-Old Boy Stopped Traffic On A Bridge Over An Icy River To Make An Epic Rescue

Matthew Russell

By Matthew Russell

ARS_Blog_DTOP_BelowTitle_300x250

Gavin Orlowski only had seconds to act before a defenseless cat was killed in the street.

Crossing over the Grand River in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Orlowski and his mother, Erin Brown, saw a gray tiger cat thrown out the window of a van ahead of them.

“I hear my mom…she’s driving, and I’m in the passenger seat and she’s like [gasp],” Orlowski told WZZM. “There’s a cat being thrown out a window, running all around the street because the van in front of us just threw it out.”

The vehicle sped off, and the cat was left on the bridge, darting to avoid passing cars, but Orlowski wasn’t about to let his mother pass him by, too.

“I was just thinking like I need to get this cat,” the 14-year-old said.

Orlowski got out of the car to block traffic while the cat made its way to the edge of the overpass.

“I turned back and held up my hand,” he said. “The cat is like hanging off the over-bridge, like 75-percent of his body is like over the bridge.”

He managed to wrangle the cat and get it into the car. The animal was visibly frightened and held close to Orlowski underneath his jacket, Pawpulous reports. Then the boy and his mother set off in search of the van.

A petition is gaining signatures in support of a national registry, banning animal abusers from ever harming pets again. Click on the link below to show your support.

Create A Public Registry For Animal Abusers

Convicted child abusers are automatically entered into a national public registry to inform people of their whereabouts and to ensure children’s safety. This helps to keep parents informed about potential danger in their neighborhoods.

Please sign the petition telling the head of the USDA, Thomas Vilsack, to enact a national animal abuser registry today!

Matthew Russell is a West Michigan native and with a background in journalism, data analysis, cartography and design thinking. He likes to learn new things and solve old problems whenever possible, and enjoys bicycling, going to the dog park, spending time with his daughter, and coffee. Find more about Matthew on his personal website.